Fuel cell vehicle and method for predicting possible running distance

Abstract

A fuel cell vehicle comprises a fuel cell system ( 50 ), a fuel tank ( 12 ) which stores fuel supplied to the fuel cell system ( 50 ), and a sensor ( 22 ) which detects a remaining fuel amount in the fuel tank ( 12 ). A controller ( 23 ) of the fuel cell system ( 50 ) predicts a possible running distance of the vehicle based on an energy amount obtained by subtracting the energy required to start the fuel cell system ( 50 ) from the energy amount corresponding to the detected remaining fuel amount.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A fuel cell vehicle, comprising: 
       a fuel cell system;  
       a fuel tank which stores fuel supplied to the fuel cell system;  
       a sensor which detects a remaining fuel amount in the fuel tank; and  
       a controller which functions to:  
       predict a possible running distance of the vehicle based on an energy amount obtained by subtracting an energy required to start the fuel cell system, from an energy amount corresponding to the detected remaining fuel amount.  
     
     
       2. The fuel cell vehicle as defined in  claim 1 , wherein: 
       the controller further functions to give advice to refuel when the predicted possible running distance is less than a predetermined running distance.  
     
     
       3. The fuel cell vehicle as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       a sensor which detects an outside air temperature; and  
       the controller further functions to predict the energy required to start the fuel cell system based on the detected outside air temperature.  
     
     
       4. The fuel cell vehicle as defined in  claim 3 , wherein: 
       the controller further functions to:  
       predict an air temperature change by correcting average air temperature change data for a current season based on a difference between an average air temperature for the present time and current season, and the detected outside air temperature; and  
       predict the energy required to start the fuel cell system based on the predicted air temperature change.  
     
     
       5. The fuel cell vehicle as defined in  claim 4 , wherein: 
       the controller further functions to:  
       predict a period during which the outside air temperature drops below 0° C. from the predicted air temperature change;  
       integrate the predicted air temperature over the period during which the predicted air temperature is below 0° C.; and  
       predict the energy required to start the fuel cell system based on the integral value of the predicted air temperature over the period during which the predicted air temperature is below 0° C.  
     
     
       6. The fuel cell system as defined in  claim 3 , wherein: 
       the controller further functions to:  
       predict an air temperature change by correcting average air temperature change data for a current season based on a difference between an average air temperature for the current season and an average air temperature for the preceding day; and  
       predict the energy required to start the fuel cell system based on the predicted air temperature change.  
     
     
       7. The fuel cell vehicle as defined in  claim 6 , wherein: 
       the controller further functions to:  
       predict a period during which the outside air temperature drops below 0° C. from the predicted air temperature change;  
       integrate the predicted air temperature over the period during which the predicted air temperature is below 0° C.; and  
       predict the energy required to start the fuel cell system based on the integral value of the predicted air temperature over the period during which the predicted air temperature is below 0° C.  
     
     
       8. The fuel cell system as defined in  claim 3 , wherein: 
       the controller further functions to:  
       predict an air temperature change by correcting average air temperature change data for a current season based on a difference between an average air temperature for the current season and an average air temperature for a plurality of preceding days; and  
       predict the energy required to start the fuel cell system based on the predicted air temperature change.  
     
     
       9. The fuel cell vehicle as defined in  claim 8 , wherein: 
       the controller further functions to:  
       predict a period during which the outside air temperature drops below 0° C. from the predicted air temperature change;  
       integrate the predicted air temperature over the period during which the predicted air temperature is below 0° C.; and  
       predict the energy required to start the fuel cell system based on the integral value of the predicted air temperature over the period during which the predicted air temperature is below 0° C.  
     
     
       10. The fuel cell vehicle as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       a sensor which detects a current position of the vehicle, wherein:  
       the controller further comprises a medium which records locations of fuel stations, and further functions to:  
       compare a distance from the current position to the nearest fuel station, and the predicted possible running distance, and give advice to refuel when the distance to the nearest fuel station is shorter than the predicted possible running distance.  
     
     
       11. The fuel cell vehicle as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising: 
       a speaker, wherein  
       the controller further functions to give the advice to refuel by issuing an audio alarm to refuel from the speaker when the fuel cell system stops and the distance to the nearest fuel station is shorter than the predicted possible running distance.  
     
     
       12. The fuel cell vehicle as defined in  claim 10 , wherein: 
       the controller further functions to give advice to remove water supplied to the fuel cell when the fuel cell system stops and the distance to the nearest fuel station is shorter than the predicted possible running distance.  
     
     
       13. A method for predicting a possible running distance of a fuel cell vehicle provided with a fuel cell system, comprising: 
       detecting a remaining fuel amount in a fuel tank which stores fuel supplied to the fuel cell system; and  
       predicting a possible running distance of the vehicle based on an energy amount obtained by subtracting an energy amount required to start the fuel cell system, from an energy amount corresponding to the detected remaining fuel amount.  
     
     
       14. A fuel cell vehicle, comprising: 
       a fuel cell system;  
       a fuel tank which stores fuel supplied to the fuel cell system;  
       means for detecting a remaining fuel amount in the fuel tank; and  
       means for predicting a possible running distance of the vehicle based on an energy amount obtained by subtracting an energy required to start the fuel cell system, from an energy amount corresponding to the detected remaining fuel amount.  
     
     
       15. A fuel cell vehicle, comprising: 
       a fuel cell system;  
       a fuel tank which stores fuel supplied to the fuel cell system;  
       a sensor which detects a remaining fuel amount in the fuel tank;  
       a sensor which detects an outside air temperature; and  
       a controller which functions to:  
       predict an air temperature change by correcting average air temperature change data for a current season based on a difference between an average air temperature for the present time and current season, and the detected outside air temperature;  
       predict a period during which the outside air temperature drops below 0° C. from the predicted air temperature change;  
       integrate the predicted air temperature over the period during which the predicted air temperature is below 0° C.;  
       predict an energy required to start the fuel cell system based on the integral value of the predicted air temperature over the period during which the predicted air temperature is below 0° C.;  
       predict a possible running distance of the vehicle based on an energy amount obtained by subtracting the energy required to start the fuel cell system, from an energy amount corresponding to the detected remaining fuel amount, and  
       give advice to refuel when the predicted possible running distance is less than a predetermined running distance.